Silent Key Tributes

This page is dedicated to honoring the memories of deceased CAARA members. The members listed **SK** here made diverse and significant contributions to the Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association which benefited their fellow hams and the general welfare of the Club. May they Rest In Peace as we preserve the memories of their camaraderie and service.

Robert P. Quinn, WV1A (2021)

CAARA member Robert P. Quinn WV1A, 88, of Gloucester, husband of Sheila (Gove) Quinn, passed away on Sunday evening, December 12, 2021, at his home, after a battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his family.

Bob was active in the community, he volunteered for the local cable for 14 years, was a member of the Lyceum Committee and was active with the Rose Baker Center. He belonged to the Lions Club, Cape Ann Sportsmans Club and the local Ham Radio Club. He had a pilots license, owned his own plane, and was an avid sailor. Bob was a veteran of the United States Air Force, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. His biggest enjoyment was spending time with his kids, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Roger C. Smith, KB1YTJ (2021)

CAARA member Roger C. Smith KB1YTJ aged 57 of Gloucester, MA, passed away surrounded by his family on April 5th, 2021 after a battle with COVID-19.

After completing a 2 year Electronics degree from ITT Tech he joined the Navy in the Submarine Service and served for 6 years on the USS Augusta (SSN-710), a Los Angeles--class Fast Attack Submarine, as a nuclear machinists mate operating its nuclear reactors. Roger earned many commendations for performing his duties with skill, dedication and an always cheerful and willing attitude.

Gardiner (Gardi) Winchester, KA1BTK (2020)

CAARA member Gardiner (Gardi) Winchester KA1BTK passed away at the MGH Salem Hospital in Salem, MA on Wednesday, November 11th, 2020. Our deepest sympathies to his family and friends all over New England.

Gardi was larger than life and loved the hobby of ham radio. He was constantly building new antennas to try out during his portable operations. Gardi loved participating in Public Service, doing road races, teaching classes at CAARA, and speaking at NSRA.

His hobbies included sailing, hiking, photography, travel, Dogtown history, and enjoying time playing radio with his daughters.

Gardi's love for life was contagious and he will never be forgotten at the Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association, NSRA, Boxboro Hamfest, or Near-Fest.

John Graves II, WA1JG (2018)

CAARA member John Graves II, WA1JG passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 11, 2018.

John was a loving husband, father, brother, grandfather and uncle. He was a perpetual tinkerer, an avid reader, and an animal aficionado, with a seemingly boundless curiosity for learning about and mastering any new technology he could get his hands on (including cars, radio, cameras, personal computers and electronics), and a love for collecting new tools and toys he could use to play around with that technology.

John was also a dedicated photographer, with a camera constantly strapped around his neck at family functions, studying friends and family through the lens to capture the moment forever.

Professionally, John worked in sales for a variety of companies, often in industries such as automotive, personal computers, and I.T., which dovetailed with his personal interests. For the last 25 years of his career, John ran his own computer networking consultancy, Dynamic Devices.

But above all, John was a sailor. He was most in his element on the water, with the wind at his back, sunshine on his face, and surrounded always by people he loved. As a youth, John spent many happy afternoons in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, on his grandfather's motorboat, "Down Easter" and on his uncle's sailboat "Small Fry". In college, he taught sailing in Annapolis, Md. Eventually, he acquired his own sailboats, "Valhalla" and "Hot Flash". John loved nothing more than sailing with his family.

Bob McKechnie, W1MVM (2018)

CAARA member Bob McKechnie W1MVM passed away on Thursday morning January 25, 2018 at Seacoast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Gloucester. He was active in CAARA as a skilled Extra Class Operator and was a regular with the Sunday Night Net until very recently. Bob was also a regular at the Rose Baker Senior Center in Gloucester.

McKechnie was a WWII Veteran who joined up just as he graduated from GHS. He was stationed in Biloxi, Miss., for training in the Air Corp, where he found himself placed in the tail gunner's seat on B-24 Liberator bombers.

He and his crew were flown from Boise, Idaho, to Sacramento, to Pearl Harbor, Canton Island (in the Phoenix Islands), and then to New Guinea, where an acute bout of appendicitis sidelined him for a few weeks. He eventually caught up with his unit at Ie Shima, off Okinawa. By the time he and his unit were established, the atomic bombs had been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which ended US combat missions.

He returned to Gloucester to work for North East Telephone as a lineman, married Catherine Friend, and had three boys. The couple was married 64 years before Catherine died in 2013.